Infant body support pad

ABSTRACT

The present invention solves a possible contributing cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. A body support pad has a support portion and a pillow portion. The support portion is removably connected to the pillow portion. The pillow portion provides ventilation to the infant. The pillow portion has a thin outer sheet permeable to the passage of air. The pillow portion also keeps the head of the infant in healthy repose. The interior of the pillow is subdivided into an upper portion containing a porous foam material and a lower portion containing an air pocket. An air pump supplies air to the air pocket to thereby supply air to the nose and mouth of the infant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to a body support pad, and moreparticularly to a pillow for supplying a sufficient amount of airpassage to and from an infant lying thereon.

A leading cause of deaths nationally among infants from two weeks to oneyear of age has become known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Medicalresearchers nationally have spent the past decades trying and failing tounravel the cause of death for such a significant number of infants. Themajority of the studies conducted found that infants which are usuallyfound dead are particularly newly born, premature and twins. However,the cause of death to these infants is frustrating because numerousinstances exist where a parent has placed a normal healthy infant on itsstomach in a crib or bed to only come back a short time later to findthe infant dead.

The numerous studies that have been conducted and reported have onlyresulted in medical personnel advising parents to not place theirinfants face down on a crib or bed because this position seems toincrease the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. For decades, thesedoctors, nurses and care guidebooks have advised placing infants ontheir back or side in the crib or bed. However, parents have beenopposed to placing the infants in this position because of an infant'spreference for sleeping on its stomach and/or the infant's tendency tovomit. Further, parents seem to believe that the risk is not so great tomake the infants unhappy and sleepless by placing them into anotherposition.

Applicant believes that a contributing cause of death for these infantsresults from the infants rebreathing of carbon dioxide. This occurs fromthe fact that the infants are placed on their stomachs and may be tooweak to be able to move from this lying position. Accordingly, theinfants rebreath the carbon dioxide that is trapped in the loose sheetsheld against the infants' face.

The present invention addresses the above problem and provides asolution to this possible contributing cause of Sudden Infant DeathSyndrome. As this application is being prepared, more research isexpected on the above problems, but researchers and medical personnelhave been unable to solve the mystery behind the sudden death of such asignificant number of infants. Further, none of the references uncoveredby Applicant's search recognizes or proposes solutions for the possiblecontributing causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a means for solving a possiblecontributing cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Applicant solvesthis problem by providing an infant support pad that is both costeffective to manufacture and simple to use.

A body support pad has a body support portion and pillow portion, saidbody support portion comprising a covered foam padding support which isconnected to said pillow portion, said pillow portion providingbreathing aid means for supporting the head of an infant, and providingventilation to the portion of the skin of said infant in contact withsaid pillow portion, said pillow portion comprising:

a thin pliable outer sheet portion having a lower surface and sidewallsurfaces which are relatively impermeable and having an upper supportsurface which is relatively permeable to the passage of air;

said outer sheet portion enclosing an interior volume of sufficientlength and width to fully underlie the head of said infant even duringinfant tossing and turning, said interior volume also being ofsufficient overall thickness to support said head of said infant in aposition of healthy repose;

said enclosed interior volume being further subdivided into upper andlower portions, one above the other, with said upper portion beingformed of a porous foam material and said lower portion being a voiddefining an air pocket bounded on the bottom and sides by said lowersurface and sidewall surfaces of said thin pliable outer wall portion,and on the top by said sheet of porous foam material;

air pump means for supplying steady breathing air flow to said airpocket, wherein:

said steady breathing air flow to said air pocket causes air to flowpast said nose and mouth of said infant without any effort on the partof the infant.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pillow portion forsupplying a sufficient amount of air flow near the infant's face andnose.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, a pillowbreathing device that includes a low pressure pump that will allow forpumping air out of the air pocket to cause a suction through theperforations in the outer sheet and foam pad so that any carbon dioxideladen air will be drawn away from the infant's face.

These another objects and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention takentogether with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the body support pad of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the pillow portion of the bodysupport pad of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the figures, FIG. 1 and 2 show body support pad 1 foruse as a body support pad for an infant lying thereon. The body supportpad 1 is designed to not only support the infant lying thereon, but alsosupply air flow to the infant as well as remove any carbon dioxide orother expelled or objectionable gases from the area in close proximityto the infant's face and nose.

The body support pad 1 comprises a pad 2 for supporting the infant'sbody and a pillow 3 that not only provides support for the infant's headbut includes air breathing means for supplying a sufficient amount ofbreathing air to the area near the infant's face and nose. The breathingair supplied to the infant is preferably normal fresh air but may beoxygen enriched air, water vapor enriched (humidified) air or an othertype of medicine mixture.

Referring to pad 2 in detail, pad 2 is preferably constructed of acovered oblong shaped foam pad of sufficient length and width to supportthe infant's body lying thereon. The interior of the pad 2 is preferablycomprised of a soft porous material enclosed by a thin cloth, plastic,rubber or an equivalent soft material. Although not necessary, it isdesirable to form the body support pad 1 by having an end section of thepad 2 attached to an end section of the pillow 3 at 9. For example, itis contemplated that a strip of hook and loop type fastener, such asthat sold under the. Trademark VELCRO, would be an ideal way to form areadily detachable connection between pad portion 2 and pillow portion3. Of course, pad 2 could be formed of a shape other than oblong and beof a different length and width to conform to infants of different sizesand weights.

The structure of pillow 3 may be best understood with reference to FIG.2. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the interior of pillow 3 comprisesessentially two main portions, an upper portion 10 and a lower portion11 that together form the pillow 3 of sufficient length and width tounderlie the head of an infant.

The upper portion 10 of pillow 3 is preferably comprised of a porousfoam material 5 that will allow purification as well as filtration ofair passing therethrough. Upper portion 10 includes a covering or outersheet 4 on the outer surface of the upper portion 10 as illustrated byFIG. 1. Outer sheet 4 is perforated and preferably includes a pluralityof perforations 6 for allowing air passage to and from air pocket 7through the porous material and outer sheet 4. The size and number ofperforations 6 included on the outer sheet 4 may vary depending upon thesize and weight of the infant intending to use the body support pad 1.Perforations 6 are of significantly greater diameter than the pores oropenings in a normal sheet or blanket. The reason for these enlargedperforations is to assure that ventilation will not be clogged by vomitor sputum from the infant.

Pillow portion 3 includes an air hole 17 at an end of the pillow 3opposite the pad 2 for allowing air passage to and from an exterior airsource like air pump 15. Air hole 17 comprises a hollow cylindrical tubeor feed pipe 16, that extends downward from an outer corner 18 of pillow3 through the outer sheet 4 and the porous foam material 5, and opensinto air pocket 7.

A low pressure air pump 15 is provided for supplying air flow to andfrom air pocket 7 through a conduit means 14. Conduit means 14 isconnected at one end to air pump 15 and to air hole 17 at the other end.The air is pumped by air pump 15 through the conduit means 14 to fillthe void defining the air pocket 7. Positive circulation of the airthrough the air pocket 7, and up through the porous material and outersheet 4, is effective in removing any latent air from around theinfant's face and nose.

As an alternative mode of operation, air pump 15 may be configured as avacuum pump. In this mode, ambient air pressure forces air down throughperforations 6, through the porous foam material 5, into air pocket 7,and out to pump 15. To prevent atmospheric pressure from collapsing airpocket 7 in this mode, it is desirable to extend feed pipe opening 21well below the bottom of the porous foam pad and into air pocket 7. Thisfeed pipe extension will serve to maintain the integrity and shape ofair pocket 7.

In addition, it is contemplated that spacers 20 or the like be includedin the air pocket 7 for preventing the collapse of air pocket 7. Thespacers 20 may be used to prevent the air pocket 7 from collapsingduring either mode of operation or from any liquid obstruction from theinfant.

The present invention has been described with reference to the preferredembodiment. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur toothers upon reading and understanding the preceding detaileddescription. It is intended that the invention be construed as includingall such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within thescope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

What I claim is:
 1. A breathing aid which supports and providesventilation to an infant, having a lower surface connected tointerconnected sidewall surfaces, said breathing aid comprising:an uppersupport surface which is relatively permeable to the passage of air andconnected to the sidewall surfaces to thereby define an interior volume;an air permeable cushioning member disposed within the interior volumeadjacent to the upper support surface; a lower void defined within theinterior volume adjacent to said cushioning member to provide an airpocket; an air pump supplying sufficient air flow to fill said airpocket and support the weight of an infant lying thereon; an air conduitconnected to said air pump; and a pliable feed pipe passing through analigned aperture defined by said upper support surface and said airpermeable cushioning member, wherein said pliable feed pipe transmitsair from said air conduit to said lower void.
 2. The breathing aidaccording to claim 1, wherein said upper support surface includes aplurality of perforations which permit passage of breathable air.
 3. Thebreathing aid according to claim 1, further comprising:an extendedportion connected to and extending downwardly from said air conduit,passing into said lower void and contacting the lower surface, wherebysaid extended portion prevents collapse of said air pocket.
 4. Thebreathing aid according to claim 1, further comprising:a spacer,disposed within said air pocket and adjacent to said air permeablecushioning member and the lower surface, thereby preventing collapse ofsaid air pocket.
 5. The breathing aid according to claim 1, wherein saidair pump removes air from said lower void through suction to therebyprovide a steady breathable air flow to said infant as ambient air flowsthrough said air permeable cushioning member to replace air removed fromsaid lower void.
 6. A breathing aid comprising:a lower surface connectedto interconnected sidewall surfaces; an upper support surface which isrelatively permeable to the passage of air and connected to saidsidewall surfaces to thereby define an interior volume; an air permeablecushioning member disposed within the interior volume adjacent to saidupper support surface; a lower void defined within the interior volumeadjacent to said cushioning member to provide an air pocket; an air pumpsupplying sufficient air to fill said lower void; a pliable feed pipepassing through said upper support surface and said air permeablecushioning member, and having a first end opening into said lower void;and a flexible tube connecting said air pump and said pliable feed pipe;wherein pressurized breathable air flows from said air pump, throughsaid flexible tube, through said pliable feed pipe, into said lowervoid, through said air permeable cushioning member, and through saidupper support surface, thereby providing ventilation to said infant. 7.The breathing aid according to claim 6, wherein said upper supportsurface includes a plurality of perforations which permit easy passageof breathable air.
 8. The breathing aid according to claim 6, furthercomprising:an extended portion connected to and extending downwardlyfrom said pliable feed pipe, passing into said lower void and contactingsaid lower surface, whereby said extended portion prevents collapse ofsaid air pocket.
 9. The breathing aid according to claim 6, furthercomprising a spacer, disposed within said air pocket, and adjacent tosaid air permeable cushioning member and the lower surface therebypreventing collapse of said air pocket.
 10. The breathing aid accordingto claim 6, wherein said air pump alternatively removes air from saidlower void through suction to thereby provide a steady breathable airflow to said infant as ambient air flows through said air permeablecushioning member to replace air removed from said lower void.
 11. Abreathing aid which supports and provides ventilation to an infant, thebreathing aid having a lower surface connected to interconnectedsidewall surfaces, said breathing aid comprising:an upper supportsurface which is relatively permeable to the passage of air andconnected to the sidewall surfaces to thereby define an interior volume;an air permeable cushioning member disposed within the interior volumeadjacent to said upper support surface; a lower void defined within theinterior volume adjacent to said cushioning member to provide an airpocket; and a pliable feed pipe passing through an aligned aperturedefined by said upper support surface and said air permeable cushioningmember, and connecting said lower void and an area above said uppersupport surface.
 12. The breathing aid according to claim 11, whereinsaid upper support surface includes a plurality of perforations whichpermit easy passage of breathable air.
 13. The breathing aid accordingto claim 11, further comprising:an air pump connected to said pliablefeed pipe and supplying sufficient air flow to fill said air pocket andsupport the weight of an infant lying thereon, whereby a steadybreathable air flow is provided to said infant.
 14. The breathing aidaccording to claim 13, wherein said upper support surface includes aplurality of perforations which permit easy passage of breathable air.15. The breathing aid according to claim 13, wherein said air pumpremoves air from said lower void through suction to thereby provide asteady breathable air flow to said infant as ambient air flows throughthe air permeable cushioning member to replace air removed from saidlower void.
 16. The breathing aid according to claim 11, furthercomprising a spacer, disposed within said air pocket, and adjacent tosaid air permeable cushioning member and the lower surface therebypreventing collapse of said air pocket.
 17. The breathing aid accordingto claim 11, further comprising:an air pump; and a flexible tube havinga first end connected to said air pump and a second end connected tosaid pliable feed pipe; wherein pressurized breathable air flows fromsaid air pump through said flexible tube, through said pliable feedpipe, into said lower void, through said air permeable cushioningmember, and through said upper support surface, to thereby provideventilation to said infant.
 18. The breathing aid according to claim 17,wherein said air pump alternatively removes air from said lower voidthrough suction to thereby provide a steady breathable air flow to saidinfant as ambient air flows through said air permeable cushioning memberto replace air removed from said lower void.
 19. The breathing aidaccording to claim 18, wherein said upper support surface includes aplurality of perforations which permit easy passage of air.
 20. Thebreathing aid according to claim 11, further comprising:an air pumpconnected to said pliable feed pipe and supplying sufficient flow tofill said air pocket, whereby a steady breathable air flow is providedto said infant.